In Memory Of

Rise of The Bugs, Part Five- Hostage

Marinette stood before the hotel, heart pounding. Chloe stood on the roof, broadcasting her words to the passerby, about how she would wait until the Miracle Box was hers before giving up her hostages. It was not unusual for villains to take captives-but not like this. The entire hotel was encased in string. It kept the guests from escaping, and three very familiar faces were lashed to the building on the outside.

Alya.

Nino.

Kagami.

Not only her friends, but allies. She saw Chloe's plan. Two options were clear. Either fight and let them fall, or surrender her earrings. However, there was one loophole that Chloe didn't anticipate. She knew the miraculous, their kwamis, and their powers much better than before. A convenient alleyway provided the cover she needed. She opened her purse and brought Tikki, who had been eating a macaron, out, cradling the kwami in her hands. She would have to clean her purse out later.

"Help me," she whispered. "If I fight Chloe, I'll need Chat to tag team with me. But he told me he had something urgent barely ten minutes ago. I can get the turtle miraculous to Carapace, but they're far apart enough that it can only shield him on the fall. And what if only one person comes free? She could easily use it as a warning. The only plan I see is double-teaming holders. I was thinking  Kaalki or Crinkll. Which one?"

Tikki considered for a moment, wiping the cream off her face."Crinkll is my choice. Its a better move if we want to end this all. Transforming time?" A nod. 

"Tikki, spots on!" Marinette moved her hands along her face and body in practiced motions. They weren't necessary, per se, but she still liked the little bit of magic they gave her. Once transformed, she opened her yo-yo to rummage through its depths. A quick search came up with nothing. A longer one revealed the same. Her decision to switch out the kwamis every week so that they could be in the Miracle Box with friends had been effective for keeping loneliness away, and she had always thought that when the problem arose that she could make do with the ones she had. But lo and behold, Kaalki wasn't here either. She could have sworn she hadn't returned Crinkll to the box, but Chloe hadn't placed a time constraint on the hostages yet. She exited the other end of the alleyway and swung over Paris.

Chloe watched from the roof of her home.  She looked at Sentibug, hidden from the inevitable news cameras in the potted plants, and gave the signal. Within seconds, the small red blot on the horizon was joined by yet another. Victory was almost hers.

(Author's note: I'm going to try to post at least every other Monday. I've been in hiatus for most of the summer due to not having continued computer access. Thanks for giving this little writer an audience.)